Capture Photos with Cheese on Ubuntu Linux

How to take pictures with Cheese in Ubuntu Linux

You can capture still images with Cheese by opening it from the system menu and switching to Photo mode. It works with a built-in or USB webcam, and on a standard Ubuntu desktop it usually needs no extra setup.

If Cheese does not show up when you search for it in the steps below, it is not installed on your system. Install it from the Ubuntu software store, then continue.

1. Click the grid icon at the bottom of the dock. This is the Show Applications button, and it opens the app overview.
2. Type “Cheese” into the search 🔍 bar.
3. Click the Cheese icon to launch it.

The Cheese window should open and show a live preview from your webcam. If the window stays black, jump to the troubleshooting section at the end.

1. Look at the right side of the screen for the Photo button.
2. If Photo is not already selected, click it.

Those modes change what the shutter button does, so make sure Photo is active before you shoot.

1. Frame yourself or your subject using the live preview.
2. Click the big Take a photo button in the center of the bottom bar. You can also press the Space key on your keyboard to trigger the shutter.

Using the keyboard is handy when you are standing back from the screen and want to avoid reaching for the mouse.

After you trigger the shutter, the app counts down from three and the screen flashes. Your photo then appears in the stream of thumbnails at the bottom of the window. Hold still until the flash, because the shot is taken at the end of the countdown.

By default, photos are saved in your Pictures/Webcam folder. Open the Files app and go to Pictures to find them.

To change where your photos go:

1. Click the three-line menu icon in the top right of the Cheese window.
2. Select Preferences.
3. Look for the Photo location setting and choose a new folder.

If you do not see that setting in your version of Cheese, photos will keep going to Pictures/Webcam. You can move them afterward in the Files app. To go back to the default, point the setting at Pictures/Webcam again.

Conclusion

Taking photos on your Ubuntu machine is quick. By default, your files save as JPEG images in your Pictures folder, so you can attach them to an email or upload them without converting anything.

Troubleshooting

Open Settings and look under Privacy (called Privacy & Security in newer Ubuntu releases) for a camera option, and make sure camera access is turned on.

If that does not fix it, try these checks:

• Close any other app that might be using the webcam, such as a video call or browser tab. Only one app can use the camera at a time on many setups.
• Check for a physical privacy shutter on the camera, or a function key on your laptop that turns the camera off.
• For a USB webcam, unplug it, plug it back in, and reopen Cheese. Try a different USB port if it still does not appear.
• Close Cheese completely and start it again after making any change.

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